A BIG INFLUX

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 96, 17 January 1921, Page 4

A BIG INFLUX

IMMIGRANTS BY THE PAKEHA A FINE COMPANY “BETTER THAN PRE-WAR STANDARD” The Dominion’s population received an*t increase yesterday in the shape of 872 immigrants, the complement of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company’s .liner Pakeha, which arrived in Wellington in the morning from London and Southampton. The steamer, which experienced an uneventful voyage, dropped anchor at 5 o'clock in the morning, but on account of the large amount of work entailed on the immigration and Customs officials it was'not until 3 o’clock that she was finally brought, alongside the Glasgow Wharf. Long before that hour many hundreds of citizens, reinforced by relatives of those aboard, foregathered on the wharf. As the big ship was made fast the scene was an animated one. Shrill greetings were hurled across the intervening space, and the usual jpcularities and chaffing were indulged in. At first sight the immigrants showed that they were British. A Scotch flag hung bravely over the side at for’ard and grouped around it were bands of sturdy northerners, with here and there a budding "Lochiel” gftily . flaunting his kilts and tartan, while the “Southrons” congregated amidships. Erin’s complement laughed and chatted astern. Presently stalwart British stock began to troop down the gangways, and for over an hour there was a continuous stream of jostling, happy humanity wending their way wharfwards, eager to press foot on the soil of the promised land.

Captain Hartman’s Tribute. Many favourable comments were passed on their appearance and general bearing, for they were on the whole a fine stamp of •immigrants. Those qualified to judge speak well in their favour. Captain W. Hartman, R.N.R., who is in vonimand of the Pakeha, describes the newcomers as a particularly fine lot, and he is a judge of men, having landed the Lancashire Division at Cape Hellas on that fateful day in April, 1915, when he was in charge of one of the Whitby fleet 'of mine-sweepers. “It may be because the great surplus of applicants allows the authorities to pick and. choose,” he remarked to a Dominion reporter, “but, whatever the reason, they are of very good type and represent a better standard than obtained among the immigrants coming to these shores before the war. They certainly gave me m> trouble, being very orderly. -Indeed, they were a happy lot. They all seemed to realise that they would be in for a pretty ‘dud’ time if they remained in England and were glad to get away.” The children, of whom there were 150 und6r the age of 12, made a brave showing, being an lot. 'Many young women were also among the new arrivals and they, too, at once created a very favourable impression. Their ranks include some SO domestic servants, all of whom-have been bespoken for by housewives in various parts of the country. Woman officials of the Immigration Department met the girls on arrival in order to dispatch those landing at Wellington to their various destinations. There was a small sprinkling of Irish, folk among the immigrants, but the majority were English. Major W. Greene, of the Salvation Army, hoarded the Pakeha in the stream, and by the time the vessel berthed he had arranged accommodation for all of those who had no friends to go to. or whose destinations were further afield. To this end he dispatched telegraphic advice to the various centres advising the Salvation Army authorities to be on the look-out on the respective railway stations on such-and-such a day for so many immigrants, whose names and other details he also forwarded. The new arrivals are distributed as follow:—Wellington, 300; Auckland, 230; Gisborne, 64: Lyttelton, 160; Dunedin, 100. The vessel will leave this evening for Lyttelton, taking the South Island passengers.

A Pleasant Voyage. The voyage out wae a very pleasant one, and was attended by fine weather right up until Saturday when heavy weather was encountered off Cape Palliser. London was left on December 7, and Southampton two days later, and Colon was the only point touched at. Passing through the Panama Canal the Pakeha met the Tainui, Homeward-bound, and Colon was reached on Christmas Eve. All the passengers went ashore and stretched their legs, and a large Christmas tree was procured for the festivities which were held when the vessel was at sea- Some £36 had been previously collected to provide presents for the children, who were treated to a particularly happv Christmas. The passing of the Old Year was also the occasion for festivities, which took the form of a dance followed by a Scotch concert lasting till midnight. During the voyage the death occurred of a boy passenger, aged 15 years. The cause of death was blood* poisoning, and the body was buried at sea after an impressive burial service. Otherwise the long journey was not marked by any outstanding incident. The average speed maintained on the run out was 13{ knots —a good performance. ,

Bad Conditions at Home. Quite a number of New Zealanders, in. eluding several ex-soldiers and their; Eng-’ lish brides, returned home by tho Pakeha. They all. seemed particularly glad to get back. One of their number confessed to a Dominion representative that a vear previously he had left New Zealand' with the intention of settling once more on his native heath in Scotland. “I return," he said, "a sadder and wiser man. After this New Zealand is good enough for me.” In common with other passengers approached on the subject, he stated that conditions were anything but alluring in the Old Country at the present time. One and all ascribed the cause to the very high cost of living, coupled with the widespread industrial unrest. One man —a miner by occupation —said he was heartily sick of tho name "strike,” and he wa,s looking forward to a period of . quiesence. He drew a very wry face, however, when he learnt of the impending trouble in the New Zealand mines. , _ • Inquiries among the immigrants disclosed the fact that none of them appeared to have been misled as to the conditions prevailing in New Zealand, none of them expecting to achieve prosperity with the "Midas touch.” Those approached said that they had been told, that they would have to work hard, and be prepared, if necessary, to go into the country in order to lx? placed. None of them had any complaints to make, and they all spoke enthusiastically of tho gdbd treatment accorded them throughout the voyage by the ship’s officers. In a word, they are a fine lot of immigrants.